trials – The Adventures and Musings of Peach and Batman

Remembrance

“And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord.” — Exodus 10:2.

Peach says:

Hey, Everybody! How’s things goin’?

It’s goin’ good here!

I think I mentioned our youngest is getting married and they have a precious baby on the way! We couldn’t be more excited for them! 🤗

Our oldest and his wife are now also expecting. We just can’t wait to meet the new baby! 🥰

I’ve noticed something, I’ve turned into that parent who is telling stories to the younger generation that explain some things we went through and illustrate the faithfulness of God. I have never minded my parents doing it, nor when I was a youngun’ did I ever mind hearing my Granddad’s stories either.

But, it has not been my nature to tell those stories, put us in the spotlight so to speak.

But, all of a sudden I have realized it’s a blessing to them to know the things we overcame and God brought us through, in spite of ourselves, it can give them both a point of reference and encouragement that they too can make it. And further, since the Father helped us two when we were young and dumb, He’s ‘no respecter of persons’ and what He did for us, He’ll do for them!

Every get together I find myself working old stories, nobody’s ever heard, right into the conversation. Unashamedly. I keep it light and lively, but it’s good things I want them to know. It’s part of their roots and heritage and where they come from, too!

It will also help them recognize their stories as they’re happening so they can tell their children, too!

When we are young, life is such a mystery in so many ways, and we are sort of wobbling along, doing the best we can. Over the years are a lot of missteps and mistakes. I truly think the things I learned from my parents allllll of my life about their life, was helpful to me to keep my equilibrium!

I am hopeful to do the same for ours, though maybe I wish I had started sooner. I will have to trust in the Lord that He has gone before us and ordered our steps.

The picture above is a FANTASTIC potato salad recipe, that I got from my best friend, (without whom I probably would not have gotten saved). And she got it from a dear lady who she not only grew up with and grew up in church with, but was her mother in law for many years, and still family! Because family never ends! It may change but it never ends.

Mrs ‘P”s Potato Salad has won people and their taste buds over for years and years, through many special occasions! She will live on and stories of her family’s goodness to us, (and that includes my best friend) will be told in my family for years to come, Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise!

^“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord].

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.

And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then]

You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.” — Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Under Construction

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.” – Psalm 91:14

We go through things that isolate us, for a season. We pray. Yet, things get harder. We KNOW He hasn’t left us. But, we don’t understand what we are going through. Because NONE of it is good, feels right, or leaves us with any hope. Instead we feel betrayed. Bereft. Abandoned. Our hope begins against our will to crumble. Leaving in it’s place cynicism.

What is this?

Could it be that we are under construction? Think about Joseph.

What the enemy of our soul meant to sideline us, The Lord allowed to prepare us. What was meant by the enemy to make us bitter, was tempting, but God used it to enrich our heart’s capacity to empathisize and have compassion. What satan meant to isolate us from our support network and our divine destiny, the Lord allowed to develop our deep roots in Him, expanding our reach and tearing down unintentional walls we grew up with. Pain and suffering when submitted in faith to the Lord, somehow make wine out of juice, pearls out of grains of sand, diamonds born out of extreme darkness and pressure. Lord, make us shine, let us love, reach, mend. May we be sweeter, more gracious, more generous, more full of faith and great expectation, and in love believe the best, and not waste a drop.

Genesis 50:20 — Joseph to his brothers who sold him into slavery:

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

I can’t see one area of pain or trouble that He has not blessed us in the midst of. That we haven’t grown to KNOW Him more fully, more deeply, less surface knowledge, more in our bones knowledge.

I can think of many times my family, or family members, or myself were rejected, betrayed, treated unfairly. And we are none the worse for it. We are wiser than when we went in. We have more compassion than when things were ‘good’. We know the Lord and His ways (very importantly) better, than we did at the beginning.

He never ever leaves us or forsakes us. He never causes the trouble. IF He allows it, it’s because He has far greater in store for us to be a part in His plan, and He needs our foundation deep and strong.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” — Romans 8:28

If you or a loved one is going through one of these ‘Under Construction’ times, drop a simple comment, I will keep you/them in prayer.

He. Is. Faithful. He is for us. He is not against us.